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The Public Entertainment and Amusement (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which seeks to abolish the permit system for staging public entertainment, thereby bringing the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance in line with the Bill of Rights Ordinance, was also read a second time.
But this does not mean that public entertainment will be completely uncontrolled in future.
Objectionable live performances will continue to be subject to section 12A of the Summary Offences Ordinance under which it is an offence to take part in, provide or manage any public live performance of an indecent, obscene, revolting or offensive nature.
Police officers acting under a warrant can enter premises where it is suspected that such a performance is or may be taking place, conduct a search and seize articles related to the performance.
End/Wednesday, July 19, 1995
Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles (Amendment) Bill 1995
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr James Y C So, at the second reading debate of the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles (Amendment) Bill 1995 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
First, I wish to thank the Honourable Mrs Selina Chow and Members of the Bills Committee for their hard work and valuable contributions when studying the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles (Amendment) Bill 1995. I would also like to thank the many organisations and individuals, including the publication industry, for their interest and valuable comments on this Bill. Indeed, the Bills Committee has not only thoroughly examined the provisions in the Bill, but has also taken a broad interest in the overall operation of the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (COIAO). I believe that the Bill, with all the Committee Stage Amendments, now represents the community's consensus on how obscene and indecent articles should best be regulated at the present time, taking into account the need to protect public morality, decency and propriety, and to uphold freedom of expression and artistic creation currently enjoyed by Hong Kong,